Stocking up on some tools

A little package was waiting for me at the post office today with some very interesting new items.

Looking at the items, one might conclude that I’m either a doctor or a mad scientist, which maybe wouldn’t be all that wrong? After all I consider myself a self-educated coral surgeon! These tools are mostly for coral propagation, and also with all the nooks and crannies among all the live rock one can never have too many tweezers and forceps! A scalpel grip and a pack of 100 sterile blades along with a pair of surgical scissor is pretty much all I need for cutting through the tissue of soft corals. But as some of the corals of the order “Zoantharia” I keep contain a deadly neurotoxin called Palytoxin, I also made sure to purchase proper protective gear such as the surgical gloves and Bio-hazard Waste Bin seen in the picture. I also have a protective lab coat and full face shield to protect me from accidental exposure to the toxin.

And last but not least, a small bottle of Lugol’s Iodine solution. Its a fantastic antiseptic and is great for preparing dips to treat corals for infections as well as some parasites and pests.